Sesame Street, Special

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Sesame Street, Special was a pledge-drive special that first aired on PBS in March 1988.[1] It featured some new material as well as repeat segments from the show.

When the special was released on video, the title was changed to Put Down the Duckie, and had a few other changes made, the most major change being the editing of an entire sequence where Kermit the Frog interviewed Oscar the Grouch about public television. Since that scene was meant to lead to a pledge break, and the video didn't have any pledge break, this entire sequence was cut.

Several PBS stations repeated this special in 1994 during a pledge drive. The special was still called Put Down the Duckie and the Kermit and Oscar scene was present, but the "Sesame Street Special Report" was cut and replaced with an H. Ross Parrot sketch.

Contents

Segments

Phil Donahue interviews the cast. Oscar the Grouch, Grundgetta and a few other Grouches complain that there's not enough trash or arguing and too much cooperating. Maria denies this, stating the opposite. She also tells Phil that since Oscar's a Grouch everything on Sesame Street is always too nice for him, but Count von Count agrees with Oscar that Sesame Street is not perfect because there is not enough counting. Ernie tells Phil that his Rubber Duckie wants to say something and is then followed by a Dinger, a Duck and a Honker who all want to say things. Bob then tells Phil that Linda has something to say, and translates her sign language by saying that everybody on Sesame Street really likes kids.

When this special was originally broadcast, the original Union Jack title card was used, but on the video release of Put Down the Duckie, the opening was replaced with the 1992-1995 opening. The Alistair Cookie scenes at the beginning and end of this sketch were also re-shot to edit out Alistair Cookie's pipe.

Kermit interviews Oscar to find out why he likes public television. However, Oscar vehemently denies that he likes public television. Kermit attempts to mention several reasons to like public television, but Oscar likes the opposite of those reasons. When Kermit is finally convinced that Oscar does not like public television, he introduces the following pledge break. Oscar overhears this, asks if this is when PBS interrupts programs to ask people to pledge money when the people would rather just watch the show, and phones ring nonstop. Oscar likes this, and asks when he can watch it. Kermit says that he can watch it now, leading to a pledge break.When this special was released on video, this entire sequence was cut.

Oscar comments on the pledge drive; he taped it!

When this special was released on video, this entire sequence was cut.

"A Sesame Street Special Report" with Robert MacNeil. Cookie Monster has been accused of stealing Susan's and Gordon's cookies in a scandal called the "missing cookies affair" or "Cookiegate". Kermit acts as Cookie Monster's lawyer during Robert MacNeil's interview.